Depth of Shallow Culture: The High Art of Shoes, Movies, Novels, Monsters, and Toys / Edition 1

by Albert J. Bergesen

Overview

Come take a closer look at ordinary footwear, like sneakers, or children's toys and Saturday cartoon TV shows, or make a comparison between Don Quixote and John Rambo of the Sylvester Stallone movie. Although some regard popular culture as "shallow," this book reveals that it is more often complex, deep, meaningful and subject to the style changes we associate with high art. Bergesen shows how complex philosophical ideas of reincarnation are embedded in Transformer toys; how sneakers have gone through a life cycle of style types; why the decline of empires like Spain and the United States led to fictional characters like Don Quixote and Rambo; and why monsters from Japan look different than those from the United States.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781594512742
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	01/15/2007
Series:	Studies in Comparative Social Science Series
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	144
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Authored by Bergesen, Albert J.

Table of Contents

chapterONE Introduction; chapterTWO The Baroque Sneaker; chapterTHREE Rambo and Don Quixote; chapterFOUR A Sociology of Monsters; chapterFIVE A Sociology of Toys; chapterSIX Bringing the Art Object Back In;

Editorial Reviews

Professor Bergesen is as capable as any of us in the profession in running a regression equation. However, his genius, as manifested in this illuminating book, lies in seeing patterns, connections, linkages, and stories that often tell us much more about human society than our most elaborate models. He opens up for us a world filled with fascinating possibilities.

Andrew M. Greeley

Professor Bergesen is as capable as any of us in the profession in running a regression equation. However, his genius, as manifested in this illuminating book, lies in seeing patterns, connections, linkages, and stories that often tell us much more about human society than our most elaborate models. He opens up for us a world filled with fascinating possibilities.”Andrew M. Greeley, University of Chicago

From the Publisher